I’m not quite back up to full speed, but I’m getting there.
There’s still a cough and a runny nose, but not nearly so much as there was. My head was aching through all of Thursday and Friday, and that’s also gone.
I dunno if it’s the ColdFX stuff that I picked up on Friday or just that this thing has run its course. Either way, I’m on the mend.
And as a result, I’m suddenly finding myself with a whole lot of energy. After lying around all week and sleeping whenever I wasn’t working, I’ve been fairly productive today. Got groceries, washed a bunch of dishes, and done some general housekeeping. I looked in the mirror a short while ago, and I actually look well rested for the first time in…well, a long time.
Yay! Just in time for Valentine’s Day. Not that I have anyone to spend it with. And not that I care.
Like Christmas, Valentine’s Day is one of those holidays that annoys me somewhat, because it’s become a day where you’re supposed to give stuff. And as I’ve said on many occasions, I like giving gifts and doing things for people when I feel like it…not when the calendar tells me to. More importantly, I like doing that more than one day a year.
Sure, when I’ve been in relationships I’ve done stuff on Valentine’s Day…it feels wrong not to. I guess I can enjoy the day for what it is…another reason to show someone that I care about them.
Here’s the odd thing, though. What if you’re just starting to date someone? There are lots of people in the early stages of a relationship who don’t know how to treat Valentine’s Day. Do you have to do something? Does it have to mean anything?
The answer, of course, is no. It doesn’t have to mean anything. The difficulty–especially if you’re just starting to date–is agreeing on that. Because even if you say that you agree, you have to wonder if the other person’s really agreeing or if they’re just saying that they agree.
Ah, the joy of dating.
I’ve got two friends who have it right. They’re both free on one day next week, so they’re getting together. It just happens to be Valentine’s Day. But so what? It’s a coincidence and that’s all it needs to be. Luckily, they’re early enough in that neither of them wants Valentine’s Day to be deeply meaningful or some silliness like that.
On television, you see the sitcoms where people go on blind dates on Valentine’s Day, because they don’t want to spend it alone. Makes for good television, but bad reality. Give me a break. Dating someone new is hard enough without the added pressure of doing it on February 14th. And yet, I expect there are people who really do go on blind dates on Valentine’s Day, simply because they don’t want to be alone.
As for me, I’ll be watching Scrubs…or I would if those jerks at NBC hadn’t pre-empted it for the Olympics. Hmm, apparently I need to find something to do on the 14th.
Now, normally after that last paragraph, I would insert a joke about how going on a blind date or something like that. Y’know, turn the entire thing around to suggest that everything I just wrote is all fake and I don’t want to be alone. So I’m not just pathetic in my own eyes, but also a hypocrite. However, that would just be predictable, so instead I’m going to invite you to fill in the blank. Insert your own ending, possibly involving me hitting on everyone who reads this scatterthought (be they male or female) or asking if you have a sister or whatever tickles your fancy.
Ready?
[Insert your joke here]
Perhaps cynical, but Valentine’s Day is simply another Hallmark occassion – too much pressure and expectations whether you’re single, dating, and/or married.
In the legend of St. Valentine, the first valentine was given between friends and that is how it should be. Here is what I like about the day
1) There are so many wonderful people in my life who go unrecognized and Valentine’s day gives me achance to say I love you and mean it!
2) People get bummed out about not having a partner to share the day so there is so much opportunity to brighten people’s days by giving them a valentine
I like chocolate (but only dark, organic fair trade and people tend not to give that away on V-day but it’s a good opportunity to educate people about fair trade)
and, my family sends me valentine’s cards which is sweet especially the cutesy cards from my Nephews.
C’mon how can you not love this day of eating chocolate and telling people that you love them. I think it’s one of the best days out there.
On a final note of Irony, I usually don’t have a boyfriend, I haven’t had one in four years and so I ask someone to be my valentine on Feb 14th and then I have lots of fun making them cards and heart shaped, pink cookies. This year I am in a fairly new relationship so I didn’t bother asking anyone to be my valentine assuming that I already had one. Well, he clearly forgot and made lots and lots of plans with other people for the entire day and evening so for the first time in 9 (yes 9) years I am going to be alone on valentine’s day.
boo hoo!
I don’t really eat chocolate, so you kinda lost me at that point.
As for the new guy forgetting…I’m not gonna touch that one. I’ll just get myself in trouble.
Happy Valentine’s Day, F. I like the way you think.
Don’t get me wrong – I still celebrate it. My husband received candy and card. My mom got a card, my grandmother got a card. I gave everyone in my office Smarties treats, and I sent a close friend in Ottawa (sans signif other) an e-valentine.
I know Valentine’s has an incredible history (I posted a historical web site as an interst link on my dept’s Coffee Talk web page) – just so many of us lose sight of this. Sort of like Christmas and Easter…I will admit that I’ve fallen in that materialistic, gimme-gimme group a number of times. (And I will admit I have received some nice bling over the years from past boyfriends and my hubby.)
I just find that even if you are with someone (and I’ve been with my valentine for almost 5 years – dating/marriage combined), there is that pressure to give each other something, possibly out-do yourself each year. Since we’re going to Italy in May (belated honeymoon, grad gift, bday, etc), we figured we’ll celebrate the lovey-dovey stuff then. Sharing the love with a friend, family member, even a stranger should happen anytime of the year.
However, on that note, I really liked Frankie’s post. I think that’s awesome.
And as for the some of the signif others of the male persausion (sp?) forgetting V-day (or VD as a gal pal of mine called it yesterday) – it happens. It was quite obvious that my husband left things to the last minute – he sent an e-card (which I received today – ironically it was the same card as last year) – so when we got home from work, he scrambled upstairs to slap together a card with a poem – I will admit that it was very sweet. The fact that he wrote the poem himself within 30 minutes was quite incredible…(and on that note – I was not any better and did things at the last minute on Monday night)
blah blah
Everyone has their own perspective of Valentine’s Day – I can understand the people who either dislike it, choose to ignore it/feel indifferent, and/or choose to celebrate it with passion.